Friday, September 16, 2016

Based at Manvers, Martek is one of the world leaders in the supply of safety and environmental monitoring systems for the shipping industry. It has expanded into different areas including the medical sector, supplying defibrillators to airlines and leisure and sport venues.

Having secured a start-up funding package worth £250,000 from HSBC, the group has now established Coptrz with the aim of revolutionising business using drones.

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are becoming incredibly useful tools for marine and offshore companies with Martek supplying marine-specific drones that are developed to fly inside confined spaces and outdoors, making them ideal for safety inspections on tanks as well as offshore structures such as wind turbines and flare stacks.

The company spotted a gap in the market for commercial drones which could be used in a variety of sectors and industries throughout the world, including marine and emergency services.

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The funding has enabled Coptrz to invest in the manufacturing and marketing of its products and to focus on increasing its exports into Europe, as well as consolidating its market share in the UK.

The business is expected to increase turnover to a projected £1.7m in its first year, rising to £5m the following year.

In addition, the funding package has facilitated the recruitment of two new members of staff who have joined the existing Coptrz team at its Rotherham headquarters to ensure the business keeps up with increasing demand for its products across the globe.

Steve Coulson, director at Martek Marine Ltd, said: "After extensive research, we have identified the significant potential for growth in this market.

"The funding package from HSBC has been instrumental in ensuring Coptrz has a solid start. The bank's support and international reach has also allowed us to begin implementing our export strategy and to recruit the talent we need to make Coptrz a successful part of the wider Martek Marine business."

Mike Swift, area director for West and South Yorkshire at HSBC, added: "We have worked with Coptrz from the beginning and it is an excellent example of a UK business having both innovative products and an export-led growth strategy.

"The finance package has supported the business in pushing forward into different international markets such as Germany, USA and the Far-East by assisting with its international travel and direct sales costs. We look forward to seeing their business thrive."